Member for East Gippsland Tim Bull defends state government cuts and closures

TAFE funding cuts and Department of Primary Industries office closures are leaving smaller communities in doubt of their future. Member for East Gippsland Tim Bull answered questions on both issues with ABC Gippsland's Mornings host Gerard Callinan.

Member for East Gippsland Tim Bull says workers affected by the closure of Swifts Creek Department of Primary Industries office will not have to relocate to Bairnsdale or Lakes Entrance.

His comments follow calls from the Swifts Creek community for the state government to reverse a decision to close its DPI office.

The town's three DPI office staff have been told to Lakes Entrance or Bairnsdale in order to keep their jobs.

Chair of the Swifts Creek Resident Action Group, Stephen Richardson, says the staff make up 4 per cent of the town's income earners, and if they leave it'll be a great loss to the community.

The relocations were announced earlier this month with news that as many as 500 jobs from the DPI will be axed across Victoria.

But Mr Bull says workers will be given mobile devices to allow the Swifts Creek workers to work remotely.

"Indications I'm getting from the Minister is they'll be offered a flexible working arrangement... To be able to continue to work and live in their communities," he told ABC Gippsland Mornings host Gerard Callinan.

Mr Bull says he told affected Swifts Creek DPI workers to contact him if they are asked to work from Bairnsdale or Lakes Entrance.

Mr Bull also answered questions on the state government's funding cuts to TAFE.

Mr Bull's Bairnsdale electorate office is located a short distance from Gippsland's Advance TAFE.

The chief executive of Advance TAFE, Peter Heilbuth, says the cuts have hit his TAFE hard.

"As far as closing goes, we have 16 campuses across the region," he told ABC Gippsland.

"The reality with the quantum of these cuts is that we are most unlikely to be able to absorb all of those costs, costs of that magnitude if you like, without looking carefully at our infrastructure.

"But it is too soon for me to say 'x' or 'y' campus will close."

Mr Bull says TAFE funding cuts were made because the system was 'unsustainable.'

"When you have an unsustainable system in place and changes have to be made, yes there will be job losses... But hopefully it will be kept to a minimum in our region."

"We're waiting to see what transition plan will produce and what it will mean on the ground."

To listen to the full interview with Member for east Gippsland, click on the audio link.